ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE FIRST RECORDED SCALE INSECT, PINNASPIS ASPIDISTRAE (SIGNORET) (HOMOPTERA: DIASPIDIDAE) AND ITS PARASITOIDS ON MANGO TREES IN EGYPT

ABD-RABOU, SHABAN; MOUSTAFA, MONA

doi:10.21608/ejar.2006.230300

ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE FIRST RECORDED SCALE INSECT, PINNASPIS ASPIDISTRAE (SIGNORET) (HOMOPTERA: DIASPIDIDAE) AND ITS PARASITOIDS ON MANGO TREES IN EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/ejar.2006.230300

Abstract

During the present work, fern scale, Pinnaspis aspidisUae (Signoret) (Homoptera:Diaspididae), is recorded here for the first time as a serious pest on mango trees in Egypt. This work includes distribution, parasitoids as well as the abundance of this scale. During 2002 — 2004 the scale P. aspidistrae was recorded in 9 localities of 5 governorates in Egypt and it was attacked by parasitoids Aphylis matruhi Abd-Rabou, Aphytis myblaspidis (Le Baron), Encarsia citrina (Craw), Marietta leopardina Motschulsky and Habrolepis aspiclioti Compere & Annecke. The seasonal abundance of P. aspidistrae and its parasitoids were studied for two successive years from March 2002 to February 2004 on mango trees in Beheira and Qalyubiya Governorates. The obtained results showed that the insect population (preadult , adult female and gravid female) per 100 inch leaves of mango trees has three peaks during Mayl^st (3460 insects), July 1^g (4694 insects) and January l^g (1310 insects) in the first year. In the mean time, the second year it has two peaks during Julyl^r'^t (4394 insects) and February 15 '(1575 insects). The results indicated that A. myblaspirfis and E. citrina are the effective parasitoids attacking P. aspidistrae in Egypt.